Electronic key apparatus for vehicle

• US 20060273886A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hiroaki, Mori, Akihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.360
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

An electronic key apparatus for vehicle includes a vehicle mounted device, and a portable device. The vehicle mounted device operates a controller upon authenticating an ID code of the portable device by communication with the portable device, and includes a first sending/receiving unit, a first memory that stores ID codes to authenticate portable devices, a first CPU that sends a request signal to the portable device, and receives and decodes whether an answer signal matches the ID code, and a driving unit that outputs a control signal. The portable devices includes a second sending/receiving unit, a second memory that stores a unique ID code, and a second CPU that encrypts the unique ID code and sends an answer signal. The vehicle mounted device includes a disablement unit that temporarily suspends use of an ID code, and does not communicate with the portable device with the suspended ID code.

Claims

1. An electronic key apparatus for vehicle comprising:

a vehicle mounted device mounted in a vehicle; and

a portable device possessed by a user,

wherein when the vehicle mounted device authenticates an ID code of the portable device by conducting communication between the vehicle mounted device and the portable device, the vehicle mounted device operates a controller mounted in the vehicle,

the vehicle mounted device includes;

a first sending and receiving unit that communicates with the portable device;

a first memory that stores a plurality of ID codes in order to perform authentication of a plurality of portable devices;

a first CPU that sends a request signal to request an ID code to the portable device through the first sending and receiving unit, that receives an answer signal from the portable device, and that decodes whether or not a content of the answer signal matches the ID code stored in the first memory; and

a driving unit that outputs a control signal to the controller when the content matches the ID code stored in the first memory,

each of the plurality of portable devices includes;

a second sending and receiving unit that communicates with the vehicle mounted device;

a second memory that stores an ID code unique to the portable device; and

a second CPU that encrypts the ID code of the second memory and sends an answer signal when the request signal from the vehicle mounted device is received through the second sending and receiving unit and a received content is a content sent to the portable device,

the vehicle mounted device includes;

a disablement unit that temporarily suspends use of at least one ID code of the ID codes stored in the first memory, and

the vehicle mounted device does not communicate with the portable device with respect to the ID code whose use is suspended.

2. The electronic key apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 1,

wherein at least one switch is disposed in the vehicle, and

when the vehicle mounted device detects that the user has performed a first predetermined operation of the switch, the vehicle mounted device conducts a communication with the portable device, evaluates by the communication the ID code whose use is suspended from the ID codes stored in the first memory, and sets the ID code in a disablement state.

3. The electronic key apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the vehicle mounted device includes:

a disablement release unit that when a predetermined operation of the user in the vehicle is detected, sends a request signal in order to communicate with the portable device having an ID code set in a disablement state, in accordance with a reception by the vehicle mounted device of an answer signal sent from the portable device responding to the request signal, releases the disablement state.

4. The electronic key apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 1,

wherein when a disablement release unit receives an ID code in which a disablement state is released, the vehicle mounted device returns a function of the portable device to a normal state, and also when the vehicle is operated by the portable device and then the operation is stopped, the vehicle mounted device automatically returns the function again to the disablement state.

5. The electronic key apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the vehicle mounted device includes:

a display unit that notifies the user when at least one portable device is set in a disablement state or is set in a disablement release state.